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ATHERTON, Calif. -Eric Bucchere, a UC San Diego men's soccer assistant coach for the past five seasons, has been named the men's soccer head coach at Menlo College.

Bucchere came to La Jolla to join the first staff assembled by 2012 California Collegiate Athletic Association Coach of the Year Jon Pascale as his lead assistant in 2008. The Tritons produced a winning overall record (9-4-4) for the third season in a row this past fall, and boasted the nation's top team goals-against average and shutout percentage in the NCAA Division II.

Menlo will serve as a return home for Bucchere, a Bay Area native, as well as his first head-coaching experience at the college level.

"It's a bittersweet day for UCSD men's soccer," remarked Pascale. "We're obviously all really excited for Eric. He has put in five really good years here, has helped grow the program, and we can't thank him enough. We're going to miss him quite a bit, but it's a great opportunity for him at Menlo. He is more than ready to take over his own program. We wish him well. I'm excited to keep track of Menlo's success in the near future."

"Jon Pascale has been a fantastic mentor to me over the past five years, and he has truly prepared me to run my own successful college program," said Bucchere. "UC San Diego is a first-class athletic department, and I am very grateful to have been a part of it. All of the players I have been lucky enough to work with, and all the great coaches and staff members at UCSD, will be truly missed.

"Menlo stood out to me for several reasons. It's a very intimate and beautiful setting, and a perfect place to be a student-athlete. After meeting the athletic director, Keith Spataro, and getting to know other staff members and the young men of the soccer program, I knew it was the place for me."

Menlo College is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The Oaks are coming off of a 2012 season in which they went 13-4-3 overall and an undefeated 8-0 in the California Pacific Conference.